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- Kimbung, Siker, et al.
(author)
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Transcriptional Profiling of Breast Cancer Metastases Identifies Liver Metastasis-Selective Genes Associated with Adverse Outcome in Luminal A Primary Breast Cancer
- 2016
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In: Clinical Cancer Research. - : AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. - 1078-0432 .- 1557-3265. ; 22:1, s. 146-157
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: The complete molecular basis of the organ-specificity of metastasis is elusive. This study aimed to provide an independent characterization of the transcriptional landscape of breast cancer metastases with the specific objective to identify liver metastasis-selective genes of prognostic importance following primary tumor diagnosis. Experimental Design: A cohort of 304 women with advanced breast cancer was studied. Associations between the site of recurrence and clinicopathologic features were investigated. Fine-needle aspirates of metastases (n = 91) were subjected to whole-genome transcriptional profiling. Liver metastasis-selective genes were identified by significance analysis of microarray (SAM) analyses and independently validated in external datasets. Finally, the prognostic relevance of the liver metastasis-selective genes in primary breast cancer was tested. Results: Liver relapse was associated with estrogen receptor (ER) expression (P = 0.002), luminal B subtype (P = 0.01), and was prognostic for an inferior postrelapse survival (P = 0.01). The major variation in the transcriptional landscape of metastases was also associated with ER expression and molecular subtype. However, liver metastases displayed unique transcriptional fingerprints, characterized by down-regulation of extracellular matrix (i.e., stromal) genes. Importantly, we identified a 17-gene liver metastasis-selective signature, which was significantly and independently prognostic for shorter relapse-free (P < 0.001) and overall (P = 0.001) survival in ER-positive tumors. Remarkably, this signature remained independently prognostic for shorter relapse-free survival (P = 0.001) among luminal A tumors. Conclusions: Extracellular matrix (stromal) genes can be used to partition breast cancer by site of relapse and may be used to further refine prognostication in ER positive primary breast cancer. (C)2015 AACR.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Altenburger, R., et al.
(author)
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Future water quality monitoring - Adapting tools to deal with mixtures of pollutants in water resource management
- 2015
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697. ; 512, s. 540-551
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Environmental quality monitoring of water resources is challenged with providing the basis for safeguarding the environment against adverse biological effects of anthropogenic chemical contamination from diffuse and point sources. While current regulatory efforts focus on monitoring and assessing a few legacy chemicals, many more anthropogenic chemicals can be detected simultaneously in our aquatic resources. However, exposure to chemical mixtures does not necessarily translate into adverse biological effects nor clearly shows whether mitigation measures are needed. Thus, the question which mixtures are present and which have associated combined effects becomes central for defining adequate monitoring and assessment strategies. Here we describe the vision of the international, EU-funded project SOLUTIONS, where three routes are explored to link the occurrence of chemical mixtures at specific sites to the assessment of adverse biological combination effects. First of all, multi-residue target and non-target screening techniques covering a broader range of anticipated chemicals co-occurring in the environment are being developed. By improving sensitivity and detection limits for known bioactive compounds of concern, new analytical chemistry data for multiple components can be obtained and used to characterise priority mixtures. This information on chemical occurrence will be used to predict mixture toxicity and to derive combined effect estimates suitable for advancing environmental quality standards. Secondly, bioanalytical tools will be explored to provide aggregate bioactivity measures integrating all components that produce common (adverse) outcomes even for mixtures of varying compositions. The ambition is to provide comprehensive arrays of effect-based tools and trait-based field observations that link multiple chemical exposures to various environmental protection goals more directly and to provide improved in situ observations for impact assessment of mixtures. Thirdly, effect-directed analysis (EDA) will be applied to identify major drivers of mixture toxicity. Refinements of EDA include the use of statistical approaches with monitoring information for guidance of experimental EDA studies. These three approaches will be explored using case studies at the Danube and Rhine river basins as well as rivers of the Iberian Peninsula. The synthesis of findings will be organised to provide guidance for future solution-oriented environmental monitoring and explore more systematic ways to assess mixture exposures and combination effects in future water quality monitoring. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 4. |
- Brack, Werner, et al.
(author)
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The SOLUTIONS project : Challenges and responses for present and future emerging pollutants in land and water resources management
- 2015
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 503, s. 22-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- SOLUTIONS (2013 to 2018) is a European Union Seventh Framework Programme Project (EU-FP7). The project aims to deliver a conceptual framework to support the evidence-based development of environmental policies with regard to water quality. SOLUTIONS will develop the tools for the identification, prioritisation and assessment of those water contaminants that may pose a risk to ecosystems and human health. To this end, a new generation of chemical and effect-based monitoring tools is developed and integrated with a full set of exposure, effect and risk assessment models. SOLUTIONS attempts to address legacy, present and future contamination by integrating monitoring and modelling based approaches with scenarios on future developments in society, economy and technology and thus in contamination. The project follows a solutions-oriented approach by addressing major problems of water and chemicals management and by assessing abatement options. SOLUTIONS takes advantage of the access to the infrastructure necessary to investigate the large basins of the Danube and Rhine as well as relevant Mediterranean basins as case studies, and puts major efforts on stakeholder dialogue and support. Particularly, the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) working groups, International River Commissions, and water works associations are directly supported. with consistent guidance for the early detection, identification, prioritisation, and abatement of chemicals in the water cycle. SOLUTIONS will give a specific emphasis on concepts and tools for the impact and risk assessment of complex mixtures of emerging pollutants, their metabolites and transformation products. Analytical and effect-based screening tools will be applied together with ecological assessment tools for the identification of toxicants and their impacts. The SOLUTIONS approach is expected to provide transparent and evidence-based candidates or River Basin Specific Pollutants in the case study basins and to assist future review of priority pollutants under the WFD as well as potential abatement options.
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| 6. |
- Dutta, Ravi Kumar, et al.
(author)
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A somatic mutation in CLCN2 identified in a sporadic aldosterone-producing adenoma
- 2019
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In: European Journal of Endocrinology. - : BIOSCIENTIFICA LTD. - 0804-4643 .- 1479-683X. ; 181:5, s. K37-K41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: To screen for CLCN2 mutations in apparently sporadic cases of aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs). Description: Recently, CLCN2, encoding for the voltage-gated chloride channel protein 2 (CIC-2), was identified to be mutated in familial hyperaldosteronism II (FH II). So far, somatic mutations in CLCN2 have not been reported in sporadic cases of APAs. We screened 80 apparently sporadic APAs for mutations in CLCN2. One somatic mutation was identified at p.Gly24Asp in CLCN2. The male patient had a small adenoma in size but high aldosterone levels preoperatively. Postoperatively, the patient had normal aldosterone levels and was clinically cured. Conclusion: In this study, we identified a CLCN2 mutation in a sporadic APA comprising about 1% of all APAs investigated. This mutation was complementary to mutations in other susceptibility genes for sporadic APAs and may thus be a driving mutation in APA formation.
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| 7. |
- Neumann, Hartmut P., et al.
(author)
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65 YEARS OF THE DOUBLE HELIX Genetics informs precision practice in the diagnosis and management of pheochromocytoma
- 2018
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In: Endocrine-Related Cancer. - : BIOSCIENTIFICA LTD. - 1351-0088 .- 1479-6821. ; 25:8, s. T201-T219
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although the authors of the present review have contributed to genetic discoveries in the field of pheochromocytoma research, we can legitimately ask whether these advances have led to improvements in the diagnosis and management of patients with pheochromocytoma. The answer to this question is an emphatic Yes! In the field of molecular genetics, the well-established axiom that familial (genetic) pheochromocytoma represents 10% of all cases has been overturned, with amp;gt;35% of cases now attributable to germline disease-causing mutations. Furthermore, genetic pheochromocytoma can now be grouped into five different clinical presentation types in the context of the ten known susceptibility genes for pheochromocytoma-associated syndromes. We now have the tools to diagnose patients with genetic pheochromocytoma, identify germline mutation carriers and to offer gene-informed medical management including enhanced surveillance and prevention. Clinically, we now treat an entire family of tumors of the paraganglia, with the exact phenotype varying by specific gene. In terms of detection and classification, simultaneous advances in biochemical detection and imaging localization have taken place, and the histopathology of the paraganglioma tumor family has been revised by immunohistochemical-genetic classification by gene-specific antibody immunohistochemistry. Treatment options have also been substantially enriched by the application of minimally invasive and adrenal-sparing surgery. Finally and most importantly, it is now widely recognized that patients with genetic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma syndromes should be treated in specialized centers dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and surveillance of this rare neoplasm.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Tobin, N. P., et al.
(author)
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Molecular subtype and tumor characteristics of breast cancer metastases as assessed by gene expression significantly influence patient post-relapse survival
- 2015
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In: Annals of Oncology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1569-8041 .- 0923-7534. ; 26:1, s. 81-88
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We and others have recently shown that tumor characteristics are altered throughout tumor progression. These findings emphasize the need for re-examination of tumor characteristics at relapse and have led to recommendations from ESMO and the Swedish Breast Cancer group. Here, we aim to determine whether tumor characteristics and molecular subtypes in breast cancer metastases confer clinically relevant prognostic information for patients. The translational aspect of the Swedish multicenter randomized trial called TEX included 111 patients with at least one biopsy from a morphologically confirmed locoregional or distant breast cancer metastasis diagnosed from December 2002 until June 2007. All patients had detailed clinical information, complete follow-up, and metastasis gene expression information (Affymetrix array GPL10379). We assessed the previously published gene expression modules describing biological processes [proliferation, apoptosis, human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) and estrogen (ER) signaling, tumor invasion, immune response, and angiogenesis] and pathways (Ras, MAPK, PTEN, AKT-MTOR, PI3KCA, IGF1, Src, Myc, E2F3, and beta-catenin) and the intrinsic subtypes (PAM50). Furthermore, by contrasting genes expressed in the metastases in relation to survival, we derived a poor metastasis survival signature. A significant reduction in post-relapse breast cancer-specific survival was associated with low-ER receptor signaling and apoptosis gene module scores, and high AKT-MTOR, Ras, and beta-catenin module scores. Similarly, intrinsic subtyping of the metastases provided statistically significant post-relapse survival information with the worst survival outcome in the basal-like [hazard ratio (HR) 3.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-10.9] and HER2-enriched (HR 4.4; 95% CI 1.5-12.8) subtypes compared with the luminal A subtype. Overall, 25% of the metastases were basal-like, 32% HER2-enriched, 10% luminal A, 28% luminal B, and 5% normal-like. We show that tumor characteristics and molecular subtypes of breast cancer metastases significantly influence post-relapse patient survival, emphasizing that molecular investigations at relapse provide prognostic and clinically relevant information.
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